GREAT GRADS! Top Five Tips to Reduce Anxiety About Public Speaking

Millennials (ages 18 to 35) are confident in their abilities and fairly optimistic about the future, but they have greater stress levels than any other generation before them. Why? Despite their many traits for success—ambition, drive and the ability to work hard—it is difficult for them to find opportunities to prove themselves.

Hard to fathom, with all the new graduates proudly displaying diplomas and designations this month. But by the time they reach 25, their outlook is not so rosy. This is probably because a quarter of 25-year-olds still live with their parents and only half have full-time work in their field, according to a study released in April 2015 entitled Life, Work and the Emerging Workforce¹,  conducted by Abacus Data for the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.

The education system is partially to blame; two areas Millennials believe it has let them down are in public speaking and networking. New employers can provide support for these skills as they mentor new grads, a topic of discussion when Catherine Bell, author of Empower Your Presence, addresses delegates at the Distinguished Advisor Conference, November 8-11. “Encourage young people working for you to find ways to develop these soft, transferrable skills,” says Catherine. “These are just as important as technical ones in today’s workplace.”

Millennials need to take every opportunity to speak in front of people, and watch experienced speakers do their magic, too, because presentation skills can be learned and great results achieved with adequate preparation and practice in non-threatening environments.

“We’re excited to have Catherine bring to life her anti-anxiety tips for public speaking at DAC, where she will award prizes of her book while engaging audience members,” says Evelyn Jacks, President of Knowledge Bureau, and program director of DAC.

According to Catherine, here are the top five tips to reduce anxiety about public speaking:

• Develop a cue card that contains only key memory-jogging words

• Smile to connect with the audience

• Stand with one’s weight equally over both feet

• Take deep breaths to release calming endorphins

• Keep hands loosely folded at the waist when at rest, or naturally moving them with palms up to emphasize certain points

Bonus tip: It is truly amazing how the conscious mind can be outwitted by the subconscious through visualization and utilizing positive affirmations. Saying, ”I will deliver a fantastic presentation,” can dramatically build confidence, and soon it will become a reality.

More on networking next time, with Catherine Bell!

^1. http://abacusdata.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Abacus_CCCE_Report_FINAL.pdf